Resurrecting the Rambler

[Pinballer]

Looks like the 'baby' is only to the crawling stages so far.

I did get a chance to test last Friday night, or at least showed up at the track anyway. Got through tech at opening bell, and being the newest thing not seen yet in these parts, drew a little attention from some other participants before the racing started. Received several nice comments about the car which was pleasing to hear. Other comments were more of total surprise when they saw the 6 cylinder sitting in the engine bay. Lots of explaining to do...many answers to questions.

Now-- the first run was simply supposed to be taking an easy lap and see if everything worked. Before I could get onto the track surface, a guy on the sidelines came running up and said there was something leaking. Had a fuel fitting underneath that was dripping some, so we aborted that run. Took a little while to repair, but got things back to good again.

By now daylight was fading pretty fast, but got one run in where I could see what I was doing. The easy 8th mile pass leaving at 1000 rpm with a bogging carb, an .080 shallow staged light (need to practice!) and lazy and way too early unassisted shifts, netted me an 11.42 at a lofty 59 mph with a 2.42 60'. Now that your laughter has subsided, it wasn't exactly what was hoped for either, I had dreamed of something in the high 10s on the initial try, but I guess it wasn't time to set the world on fire yet. It was too dark out after this run to try anything without making a couple adjustments to the the carb and kickdown linkage, and I realized I had left the flashlight in the other truck back home, so packed it up and will hope for more next Friday night.
I will say that even on the one and only shakedown pass so far, the car surprised me in one aspect: with the additional rear gearing from stock, it sure pulls decently when it gets into high gear, so maybe there's a ray of hope to build on for the next session.
Gotta chip away on that low end now.

[Billy Nees]

Originally Posted by Pinballer

I will say that even on the one and only shakedown pass so far, the car surprised me in one aspect: with the additional rear gearing from stock, it sure pulls decently when it gets into high gear, so maybe there's a ray of hope to build on for the next session.
Gotta chip away on that low end now.

Just don't get discouraged! It will probably take quite some time to "figure" this combo out unless someone that knows the combo would step in and help you out.

[goinbroke2]

First time out with a new car? One leak? You did awesome!

You did the whole car over and yet;
it didn't stop charging,
the brakes didn't suddenly become spongy,
the shifter linkage didn't slip/fall off,
it didn't have a bad miss once you actually launched and had it under load on the track,
you didn't turn the key and....nothing....

Avoiding "gremlins" on your first outing, I'd call that a win.

[Dwight Southerland]

Originally Posted by goinbroke2

First time out with a new car? One leak? You did awesome!

You did the whole car over and yet;
it didn't stop charging,
the brakes didn't suddenly become spongy,
the shifter linkage didn't slip/fall off,
it didn't have a bad miss once you actually launched and had it under load on the track,
you didn't turn the key and....nothing....

Avoiding "gremlins" on your first outing, I'd call that a win.

Amen!

[Pinballer]

Originally Posted by goinbroke2

First time out with a new car? One leak? You did awesome!

You did the whole car over and yet;
it didn't stop charging,
the brakes didn't suddenly become spongy,
the shifter linkage didn't slip/fall off,
it didn't have a bad miss once you actually launched and had it under load on the track,
you didn't turn the key and....nothing....

Avoiding "gremlins" on your first outing, I'd call that a win.

(Laugh)...Yeah, at least I made it down the track finally. I did not see a Gremlin anywhere in the place either.
We're OK here---the fuel is staying in the lines, the brakes work, belt stayed on the motor, the starter was tested several times trying to keep the car going with the carb troubles, and it still has the drivetrain pieces all intact!
I will need to go back through the shifter cable adjustment again, first gear is not staying engaged, as it shifts into second on its own even with lever 1 held back, so apparently I don't quite have that right yet.
I also know that I need to move the tach upward more into my field of vision, so will be fabricating a new mounting bracket to make that happen.


No discouragement here, I realize it takes a long time to work the bugs out from doing prior cars, just some sadness realizing that there will not be a whole lot I can do about getting several more time slips to look over until next year. The local track is done for the year with their Friday night testing, so weather permitting there might be a couple more Sunday races for the chance to get more runs in before they close for winter. Right now I need testing laps more than a competition atmosphere.

[Pinballer]

Heading into winter, it looks like it's time to turn my energy towards locating some parts and building an engine that will have all the correct NHRA numbers on it they need.
I was fortunate to score a whole '79 258 Jeep engine that has the correct head in place, (but not the right intake), and also had a friend who picked up an intake with the right numbers on it and is saving it for me out in Ohio, so I've now got enough pieces located to start constructing one correct engine. I'd like to get another set of parts to build a backup engine later on, so I'm still searching for one more head with the right number on it. Got plenty of blocks and cranks and rods, so it's just a matter of getting all the important "romance" pieces bought and put into it and a ton of machine work done.
I see money leaving right now at a furious pace...

[IDRAMBLER]

Hang in there Brain....I would pick Jim's and
Ed's brain on the engine build.....

I have watched Jim's Pacer run many times here at the local track....
Firebird Raceway....for the opening Div 6 race....

[Pinballer]

The systematic build continues...I'm still accumulating pieces for the future Stocker engine build.

Feast your eyes on this jewel that's just dripping with rust, a lovely 1980 AMC Concord 4 door I bought for $100 back in about 1993 and drove home (with no brakes) that is now being dismantled so it can donate the only correct and useful pieces to me that it has left to offer: it's 258 block and crank. Somewhere under that pile of air conditioning pieces and emission hoses there's an engine. We're booked in at the machine shop early January for hot tanking, sonic check, then line boring and cylinder boring if all looks good.

You know how you sometimes find unexpected "treasures" when parting out an old car?
Found two sets of old tire chains that fit 14" tires in the trunk. Whoo-hoo!

[Pinballer]

...and here is the ugly result of the scrap-out. The short block of the engine is all that really mattered to me. However, another unexpected plus was found while underneath the car getting things unbolted--the 904 transmission has a rebuild shop name paint-stenciled onto the pan, so I guess it at least has the benefit of probably being better off than most stuff I have. I'll use it in a future street car.

Of course I like to make things much more complicated by taking the front wheels and disc brake system pieces off before trying to load a car on a trailer. No way would I want something to wench right up on a trailer able to steer on some rolling wheels, as you have seen from previous part-outs on this thread.
Those brake and mounting pieces were sold off to a fellow AMC'er to allow him to put disc brakes on a 70 Hornet project he had.

Next step is to tear down this latest 6 cylinder and get the block to the machine shop for a good check-up and see what we have to work with.

[Tom keedle]

Originally Posted by Pinballer

...and here is the ugly result of the scrap-out. The short block of the engine is all that really mattered to me. However, another unexpected plus was found while underneath the car getting things unbolted--the 904 transmission has a rebuild shop name paint-stenciled onto the pan, so I guess it at least has the benefit of probably being better off than most stuff I have. I'll use it in a future street car.

Of course I like to make things much more complicated by taking the front wheels and disc brake system pieces off before trying to load a car on a trailer. No way would I want something to wench right up on a trailer able to steer on some rolling wheels, as you have seen from previous part-outs on this thread.
Those brake and mounting pieces were sold off to a fellow AMC'er to allow him to put disc brakes on a 70 Hornet project he had.

Next step is to tear down this latest 6 cylinder and get the block to the machine shop for a good check-up and see what we have to work with.

i generally get the car on the trailer and THEN pull the brakes and suspension stuff


uhhh your buddy doen't have a 73 rear bumper,does he?